Oh where oh where has that black sock gone……

There’s nothing like preparing dinner and suddenly hearing the hurling of one curly canis lupus familiaris (Wilbur).  It sounds like the rumbling of some sick motor and suddenly this morning’s digested breakfast spews into a perfect cow patty type mound onto the kitchen floor.  The timing is impeccable. As I’m the only one in the household with the stomach to take it, I gather the regurgitated meal with the dust pan and return to my prep, after of course washing my hands

The next day, as I release the canines from their dens I notice a piece of black ribbing in the bottom of the crate.  No, this can’t be, not again!  Someone, and I mean someone…. it can be anyone…. not pointing any fingers…. must have left the laundry room door open with the laundry in its’ neatly divided piles on the floor.  Everyone knows, well at least I know that dogs love to gather items that possess their owners’ scent; socks, underwear, etc.  It’s crucial in this household that doors remain closed!

Well the proof will be in the pudding or rather the pooping now.  I feed my gang as I normally do and now watch to see who poops and where.  I’m determined to find the culprit!  As each on of them takes their stance, I memorize their exact location.  With magnifying glass in hand…. just kidding,  I perform my poop scooping rounds to determine that my hypothesis was correct.

Mr. Wil is the guilty party.

Well he’s guilty at least of having eaten the sock which is probably what gave him the upset stomach last night, but may not have been involved in the theft.  Until the next disappearance……

Wil’s new best friend

I’m almost positive they all knew that I was pregnant.  Now when I say they…. I’m talking the canine crew.  My gang.  Wilbur, Nova and LouEez.  Wil is a standard poodle, LouEez is a moyen standard poodle (her mom was a standard and dad was a mini), and Nova is a Goldendoodle (golden retriever poodle cross).  They behaved differently.  Sticking to me like glue.  I truly believe dogs have a sixth sense.  They felt the pregnancy before I even was aware of it I’m sure.

Eventually, LouEez and Nova laid off a little.  Of course they’d experienced it before.  Having had babies of their own.  Like I don’t already have enough on my plate, I’m also an F2 Goldendoodle breeder.  It was Wil who’d grown a deeper interest in my new ‘condition’.  The entire pregnancy he was my shadow, my stain.  Watching my every move, and I mean EVERY move. Seth, my new little man was born in May and when we brought him home, I didn’t do the regular ‘let the dogs have  a sniff thing’.  I’m a dog trainer and have studied the behaviour of my canine companions for years.  I know better.  Dogs don’t need to have an up close and personal sniff.  That snout of theirs is much keener than our own.  They know there’s a new Alpha in the house, they can smell him, they can certainly hear him, they can watch him from a distance, but to taste him, that would certainly be out of bounds.  He is the Alpha and will be treated with the out-most respect. The three clan members were invited to join the new Alpha on daily walks to town.  They were all taught to walk next to or behind the Alpha in the three wheeled jogging stroller.  The respect of the new pack member was instantaneous! But it was Wil who had taken a particular liking to this new tiny little Alpha man. During the summer, whether Seth was out in his bouncy chair or his walker, Wil would come over and sit next to him.

He would endure the tugging of his long curly ears.  He has patience of gold! He even entertains Seth through the patio door window every morning as I prepare breakfast.  He’s a very tolerant boy our Wil, a dog with an admirable temperament, allowing himself to be harassed by a now happy 5 month old who would slobber Wil silly if we allowed him to .  We really could not ask for a better dog! I’m sure as Seth gets older he will realize that he too has found his best friend!